Ceiling-support.



Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

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DAVID PEMBERTON, OF LAFERTY, OHIO.

CEILING-SUPPGRT.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, DAVID PEMBERTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at-l Laferty, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ceiling-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a structure for reinforcing and supporting the ceiling or overhead wall in the passage-ways of a mine or tunnel.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the above character, which may be secured to the side walls of the passage way and which. is so constructed that the pressure of the overhead wall may be partly transferred laterally to said side walls.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts, Figure 1, is a side View of my device as a whole. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the horizontally arranged portion of my device. Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified form of my device. Fig. 41 is a top plan view of the cap shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 1* is an end view of Fig. 4. Fig. 1 is a view of Fig. 4: taken at right angles to Fig 4 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the pins used in connection with my device. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of one of the similar angularly arranged braces. Fig. 6 is an end View of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a side View of Fig. 6.

It is well known that in coal mines or the like, it is necessary to support the ceiling or overhead wall of the passage-ways or cavities within the same. The pressure exerted by the falling in of the overhead wall is sometimes very great, and a structure to support the same, must be very strong. Besides from the cost of providing such a structure, it has generally been found that the same when installed, occupies too much space and therefore is a great disadvantage. In the description hereinafter to be given, it will be readily seen that the structure I employ, does away with the disadvantages above cited, and also that the same would be cheap to manufacture.

In the drawings, within which the preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed, 1 designates a horizontally arranged supporting member comprising the body Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 17, 1969.

portion 2, upon one side of which are ar- Serial No. 513,302.

ranged the spaced upstanding ribs 3 forming the cavities as shown at 1, and upon the other side of the body portion 2 is arranged the spaced pairs of alined pointed lugs 5, having the vertical inner sides (3 and the outer sloping sides 7. The ends of the ribs 3 are curved upwardly as shown at 3 for a purpose to be explained. The member 1 is made integral by casting, and is generally formed of steel, although I may employ any other suitable material. The structure of the member 1 is very strong, and light, the spaced ribs 3 reinforcing the same and serving another purpose hereinafter to be described. The horizontally arranged supporting memher 1 is supported adjacent the extremities thereof by the angularly arranged braces 8, as shown in Fig. 1. The braces S are similar, so for the sake of brevity, I will describe only one of them. The brace 8 comprises a tapering body portion 9 upon the lower and smaller end of which is arranged the semi-circular recess 10. Upon one side of the body portion 9 of the brace 8 are arranged the spaced upstanding ribs 11, which are adapted to fit within the cavities 1 upon the member 1. The ribs 11 are provided with the longitudinal grooves 12 which tend to reduce the weight of the brace 8. The spaced ribs 11 extend above and beyond the body portion 9 at the upper end as shown by the dotted lines at 9 and are provided with the curved surface 13 at one end of which is the upstanding point 1 1. The ribs 15 are arranged upon the sides of the brace 8, and are adapted to assume a position upon the sides of the supporting member 1. The upper end of the body portion 9 between the ribs 11, is provided with the concave portion 16, which is of substantially the same curvature as the curvature of the ends of the ribs 3. The brace 8 is made integral by casting and, owing to its struc ture, is very light and strong.

In the application of my device in the manner referred to, a plurality of assembled structures similar to the structure shown in Fig. 1 are arranged at spaced intervals in a passage-way or the like. I may place a suitable form of wire netting, such as used in constructing wire fences, upon the members 1, and the same will be engaged by the lugs 5 and prevented from slipping. In addition to the wire netting, I may place metal strips upon the members 1.

So far I have described the application Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

of my device in its assembled form; now I" will proceed to explain the manner of assembling my device.

The wire netting and metal strips are first placed in contact with the ceiling, and the supporting member 1 placed under the same. The braces are then arranged upon the ends of said member 1, and owing to the interfitting of the ribs upon the member 1 and braces 8, the same are prevented from having relative lateral movement. It is obvious that the curved portion 9 co-acting with the curved end 3, forms a hinge-like connection between member 1 and the brace 8. After the member 1 has been pressed sutliciently tight against the ceiling and the brace 8 being in the position shown in F 1, the pin 17 is arranged within the recess 10 upon the brace 8 and driven into the side wall of the passage-way, it being understood that the said side is formed of some hard material such as coal, whereby the pin will be securely held. hen pressure is exerted downwardly upon the member 1, owing to the hingelike connection between the same and the brace 8, the lower end of said brace 8 will be moved laterally as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, whereby the same will engage the side of the passage-way and transfer a portion of its pressure laterally upon said side. It is obvious that the upper end of the brace 8 is prevented from moving inwardly owing to the concave portion 16. which co-acts with the curved portion 3 of the ribs 3, and that the said upper end of brace 8 is prevented from moving outwardly owing to the upwardly extending points 14, arranged thereon.

In extending a passage-way, it is often desirable to support the ceiling directly in front of the new portion being constructed, and for this purpose, I employ a slightly modified form of my device as shown in Fig. 3. In the use of my device in this connection, I do away with one of the braces 8 and employ in its place, the post 18. A cap 19 provided upon the under side with the recess 20 for receiving the upper end of post 18 and upon the upper side with the spaced lugs 21, is arranged upon post 18, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper end of said post fitting within the recess 20, and said lugs 21 fitting within the cavities 41. The post 18 may be of any suitable material, but I prefer the same to be an iron pipe or the like, owing to the lightness and strength of the same. It

"is to be understood that the lower end of post 18 is suitably secured to the fioor of the passage-way.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. Means for supporting the ceiling in a passage-way or the like, comprising a beam arranged to engage said ceiling, said beam being provided with a plurality of longitudinally arranged ribs, angularly arranged braces provided with longitudinally ar ranged ribs adapted to lit between said ribs upon said beam, said braces being arranged in engagement with said beam at the ends thereof, and fixed means for supporting said braces.

52. Means for supporting the ceiling in a passage-way or the like, comprising a member arranged to engage said ceiling forsu'pporting the same, said member comprising a body portion provided with spaced upstanding ribs having curved ends, angularly arranged braces provided with spaced upstanding ribs adapted to fit between said spaced ribs upon said supporting member engaging said supporting member and provided with a curved portion adapted to receive the cuved ends of said ribs for forming a detachable hinge-like joint thereon, each of said angularly arranged members being provided with a recess upon the lower end, a horizontally arranged member arranged within said recesses, and adapted to be driven into the side of the passage-way for slidably supporting said angularly arranged brace, substantially as described.

Means for supporting the ceiling in a passage-way or the like, comprising a beam arranged to engage said ceiling, angularly arranged braces arranged in engagement with said beam near its ends, said beam and each of said braces being provided with up standing ribs for reinforcing the same and forming an interlocking engagement between said beam and said brace, and tired means for supporting the lower ends of said braces whereby the same may be capable of slight movements in a substantially horizontal plane.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID PEMBERTON.

Witnesses lVILLOW LEWIS, C. W. VVORLY. 

